Concerning the coalition agreement in Germany and the consequences for the people in Europe, Gregor Gysi, President of the European Left, declares:

Concerning the coalition agreement in Germany and the consequences for the people in Europe, Gregor Gysi, President of the European Left, declares:

09 February 2018

The European dimension in the coalition agreement between the German Social Democrats (SPD) and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leads me to suppose that the seriousness of the starting point and the associated self-critical confrontation with the European policy of the past are not given. The continuation of the 'black zero' in Germany under an SPD finance minister and the transfer of the 'black zero' on the European level is a declaration of bankruptcy at investments and thus at the youth and future in Germany and Europe. Union and SPD support the further militarization of the EU. This upgrade is contrary to the basic idea of a peaceful and solidary Europe. If Europe stands for social cuts, austerity and militarization and also solidarity do not realize and democracy and environmental sustainability does not advanced than the EU will step-by-step lose the support of youth. There is a need for a socio-ecological Europe with adequate investment in public infrastructure and the implementation of a European minimum wage. That would not be less Europe, no longer of the current EU, but a new Europe, another direction of European integration - which at least in the beginning makes possible a European regulation of capitalism.